David Carlucci TagAll blog entries tagged as David Carluccihttp://www.gothamgazette.com/index.php/the-eye-opener/latest
Tue, 31 Mar 2015 21:02:42 +0000Joomla! 1.5 - Open Source Content Managementen-gbCarlucci "Shocked and Outraged" By Smith's Alleged Conducthttp://www.gothamgazette.com/index.php/the-eye-opener/entry/state/2013/04/02/carlucci-qshocked-and-outragedq-by-smiths-alleged-conduct
http://www.gothamgazette.com/index.php/the-eye-opener/entry/state/2013/04/02/carlucci-qshocked-and-outragedq-by-smiths-alleged-conductSen. David Carlucci is "shocked and outraged" over the alleged bribery scheme that his fellow Independent Democratic Conference member Sen. Malcolm Smith was arrested for today, according to a statement from Carlucci's office.

Carlucci represents Spring Valley, New York and a Senator from Spring Valley is mentioned throughout the complaint against Smith. However, U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara told reporters today that there is no evidence of wrongdoing involving the Senator from Spring Valley.

Here is Carlucci's ful statement:

Like many New Yorkers, I am shocked and outraged over the alleged misconduct undertaken by various public officials at the state, city, and local government. This conduct is reprehensible in its entirety, and public corruption in any form cannot be tolerated at any layer of government. I look forward to hearing the details of this wide-ranging investigation as they begin to unfold. As the United States Attorney had indicated, in no way whatsoever was I, or any member of my staff, involved in the alleged criminal misconduct and subsequent charges filed this morning. On the contrary, these actions speak to a broader, more fundamental reason as to why I ran for office in the first place – to clean up the culture of corruption that pervades our politics.”Three years ago I came to Albany to shake up the status quo and bring change to our State Capital. While we have made great strides since, there clearly remains much more work to be done. I am committed to working to reform our system of government in a way that increases transparency and holds public officials accountable to the people they serve.

IDC head Sen. Jeff Klein has stripped Smith of his chairmanship and committee assignments and issued a statement saying Smith might want to consider resigning.

]]>dking@gothamgazette.com (David Howard King)StateTue, 02 Apr 2013 18:08:02 +0000IDC Member Counties Get $1 Million For Anti-Gun Violencehttp://www.gothamgazette.com/index.php/the-eye-opener/entry/city/2013/03/25/idc-member-counties-get-1-million-for-anti-gun-violence-program
http://www.gothamgazette.com/index.php/the-eye-opener/entry/city/2013/03/25/idc-member-counties-get-1-million-for-anti-gun-violence-programBeing part of the majority coalition in the state Senate pays — at least when it comes to fighting gun violence.

The Aid to Localities budget bill shows that four counties represented by members of the majority coalition are going to share $1 million for the establishment of — or continued operation of — Operation S.N.U.G. programs.

S.N.U.G., which stands for guns spelled backwards (seriously), is an anti-gun initiative started by Sen. Malcolm Smith when he was senate majority leader. Now he is a member of the Independent Senate Democrats, who are power-sharing in the Senate with Republicans. The program is expanding a bit and the $1 million in funding will go to Rockland, Queens, Bronx and Onandaga Couties.

The funding for S.N.U.G. was part of the Senate's one-house budget bill but seems to have expanded in the completed budget.

A spokesman for the IDC didn't respond to a request for comment.

]]>dking@gothamgazette.com (David Howard King)CityMon, 25 Mar 2013 21:16:56 +0000Today's Word On The State Budget is 'Tentative'http://www.gothamgazette.com/index.php/the-eye-opener/entry/state/2013/03/19/todays-word-on-the-state-budget-is-tentative
http://www.gothamgazette.com/index.php/the-eye-opener/entry/state/2013/03/19/todays-word-on-the-state-budget-is-tentativeThere is no budget deal to report as of this afternoon, but there are a few "tentative" ones the table — or at least floating around the halls of the Capitol.

The first deal would see the state's minimum wage incrementally increased to $9 an hour by 2016. That deal has some mainstream Senate Democrats rankled. Sen. Mike Gianaris told Susan Arbetter of The Capitol Pressroom that Senate Republicans who cut a deal with the Independent Democratic Conference have "outsize" influence in negotiations and that the deal is "half a loaf."

Sen. David Valesky of the Independent Democratic Conference responded in a statement accusing Gianaris of the "type of absolutism that prevented progress in the past."

Now there is word of a deal on marijuana laws. The New York City Council would be allowed to make possesion of small amounts of marijuana in public a ticketable offense rather than an arrestable offense under proposed legislation.

Some upstate legislators are upset that the measure would only impact New York City.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo pressed legislation that would lower penalties for marijuana possession last year but were blocked by Senate Republicans.

Meanwhile, advocates of the DREAM Act that would provide funding to undocumented college students are not getting much good news these days. Speaker Sheldon Silver is reportedly pressing hard for the plan but to no avail.

"Nothing promising" has been a refrain I've heard multiple times today when inquiring about the status of the DREAM Act in budget talks.